Tuesday, March 26, 2013

quick bites: latkes and salmon

I often don't get to come home until around 7:00 p.m. On the nights when it's my turn to cook, my number one goal is to cook something as quickly as possible before James faints from hunger while still cooking something up that's tasty and remotely healthy. I've put together some easy-to-make recipes using ingredients that we both like. Some of the recipes are completely from scratch, and some use already prepared ingredients. One of those recipes is latkes and sliced smoked salmon. These require just 5 ingredients: oil, Trader Joe's frozen potato latkes, (light) sour cream, (fresh) dill, and sliced smoked salmon.

Drizzle the oil of your choice (I used olive oil) in a frying pan and heat on medium-high heat for a minute. Add latkes and cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Dill is one of my favorite herbs - so aromatic and always adds a dash of color - so I always use fresh when I can. Tear off the individual branches from the main stem, pile them all together, and loosely chop them to get finer bunches.

Plate your cooked latkes, place slices of smoked salmon on top, add a dollop of sour cream, and drizzle the dill on top. I also add extra sour cream and dill on the side.

That's it. Easy, quick, relatively healthy, and yummy. What are some of your easy-to-make recipes? I would love to know - you can never have too many!

Disclaimer: I'm not a professional chef, but I do like to cook (my 16-year-old self is laughing at me for saying that). I like the sense of accomplishment and the joy I get from preparing a meal, whether just for James and myself or for a bunch of our friends. What I lack in technical skills, I make up for with a willingness to experiment and have fun and to make food that tastes good.

hello

A 24-year-old who loves her fiancé, her friends, dry midwestern humor, a good book, rice, and lovely shoes. Touching on fashion, literature, beauty, life after college, and all things inspiring, read along with me as I live and love through Chicago and my twenties.